To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Steve Potter, City Manager
Prepared By: Julie Lucido, Assistant City Manager
TITLE:
Title
Letter to the Chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors Regarding Airport Noise Concerns
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the Mayor and each City Councilmember to sign the attached letter.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The City has received concerns from numerous community members who live and work within the City of Napa reporting substantial increases in airport noise following recent operational changes implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the Napa County Airport. The operations of the Napa County Airport facility are outside of the City Council’s subject matter jurisdiction but have an impact on City of Napa residents.
The operational change began in September 2024, when the FAA published a new instrument approach for Runway 19R. This change has generated particular concern in areas east of Silverado Trail within the City of Napa with concern related to aircraft altitude, frequency, and noise.
City Policy Resolution No. 38 (R2019-083), approved by the City Council on August 6, 2019, establishes a process by which the Mayor or City Manager may submit correspondence to encourage action by other government agencies that are consistent with City Council policy positions.
Based on the above, the Mayor of Napa sent a letter to the Chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors to convey these concerns received by the City and to express support for the County’s efforts to evaluate and develop alternative approach operations for presentation to the FAA.
City staff is now recommending that another similar letter be sent to the County but signed by each councilmember. Approval of the recommended action is necessary to authorize each City Councilmember to sign the letter to the Chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors supporting Napa County’s efforts to engage City of Napa community members and evaluate measures to reduce noise impacts.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
There is no fiscal impact.
CEQA:
The City Manager has determined that the recommended action described in this staff report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Letter
NOTIFICATION:
Napa County CEO